08/01/2024

A Family Resource Binder Project: Boosting Career Development in Counselor Education

By Dilian Rolins

Students with disabilities (SWD) number over 7.3 million (NCES, 2021). This diverse group includes individuals with varying disabilities, including learning disabilities, physical impairments, sensory challenges, and emotional or behavioral disorders. SWD's educational and social needs are complex and require tailored support to ensure their academic and social success (Hu & Chandrasekhar, 2020; Keenan et al., 2019). Despite legal mandates, disparities in services continue across states and ethnic groups, highlighting the ongoing challenge of ensuring equitable support for SWD (Government Accountability Office, 2019; National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2023).

Effective support for SWD involves not only meeting their academic needs but also addressing their career development and transition plans (U.S. Department of Education, 2020; Rowe et al., 2021). Educational systems often solely prioritize graduation rates over individualized career development for SWD, potentially hindering their access to postsecondary opportunities and meaningful employment (PACER Center, n.d.; King et al., 2005). Effective transition planning and holistic support services during high school are critical in bridging this gap, requiring collaboration among stakeholders (Gauthier-Boudreault et al., 2017).

Counselor Educators must recognize their pivotal role in preparing future counselors to support SWD effectively. A holistic approach, such as humanistic counseling, which includes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuine understanding (Rogers, 1959; Corey, 2021), can provide essential support. Holistic approaches align with the counselor's role in advocating for systemic changes to foster inclusivity and accessibility in educational and employment settings (Drobnič, 2023). To address these needs and ensure comprehensive support, innovative solutions are essential. One such approach is the Family Resource Binder Project, designed to bridge the gap between academic achievement and career readiness for SWD.

The Family Resource Binder Project: How-To Guide

The Family Resource Binder Project, which was assessed through a qualitative study involving counselors-in-training, can help train future counselors by providing practical tools and strategies to support students with disabilities (SWD). The binder also offers practicing counselors a valuable resource for refining their approaches to transition planning and career development, thus enhancing their effectiveness in bridging academic achievement with career readiness for SWD.

Implementing the Binder Project:

1.     Plan the Curriculum Integration: Integrate the binder project into your course syllabus. Ideal courses for this project include career counseling, multicultural counseling, and introduction to counseling. Make it clear to students that this project is their primary assignment, designed to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. Provide a detailed timeline and rubric for assessment to guide students through the process.

2.     Define Project Goals: Clearly outline the objectives of the Family Resource Binder Project to counselors-in-training. Goals should include resources to enhance understanding of disability services and key counseling competencies that will be used in the assignment. Ensure that counselors-in-training are trained to work with parents on how to create specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Providing a project guide gives students objectives and clear expectations should they need to review.

3.     Develop a Resource Template: Create a comprehensive template for the binder. Although each binder will be unique, a template can ensure counselors-in-training include career-specific resources, educational materials, and community support services. Require students to submit career inventories, job search strategies, resume tips, and labor market information to meet the need of the client they will work with. Consider including a section for individualized action plans and goal-setting worksheets to help clients and families track progress.

4.     Collaborate with Stakeholders: Partner with local career centers, disability services, and workforce development agencies to gather region-specific resources. Invite these stakeholders to provide guest lectures or workshops, enriching the learning experience for students. These interactions allow for counselors to develop relationships with these partners to ensure ongoing support and access to up-to-date information and resources.

5.     Conduct the Project: Assign students to work directly with parents of SWD. Encourage active listening and resource customization based on individual family needs. Provide regular feedback and support throughout the semester, ensuring students stay on track. Facilitate opportunities for students to present their work and receive peer feedback, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

6.     Present Findings to Parents: At the end of the project, counselors-in-training, can present their compiled binders and findings to the parents of SWD. This presentation should include an overview of the resources, how they were tailored to meet individual needs, and any actionable steps or recommendations. This step ensures that the resources are practical, and applicable, and allows for direct feedback from the parents.

7.     Assess and Reflect: At the project's conclusion, have students reflect on their experiences and the impact of their work. Gather feedback from parents and students to assess the effectiveness of the resources provided and identify areas for improvement. Use this feedback to refine the project for future iterations and to develop best practices for integrating similar projects into counseling curricula.

Conclusion

Implementing the Family Resource Binder Project offers counselors-in-training a hands-on approach to applying career knowledge in real-world settings, helping them develop critical skills such as empathy, communication, and resource personalization. This project ensures SWD receive tailored support for their academic and career success. The Family Resource Binder Project enhances practical skills for future career counselors and provides essential support for SWD. Integrating this project into the counselor curriculum creates valuable learning experiences and contributes to more effective career counseling education.

References

Corey, G. (2021). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Drobnič, J. (2023). People with special needs and career development based on strength. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 13(3), 213-232. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1381

Gauthier-Boudreault, C., Gallagher, F., & Couture, M. (2017). Specific needs of families of young adults with profound intellectual disability during and after transition to adulthood: What are we missing? Research in Developmental Disabilities, 66, 16-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2017.05.001

Government Accountability Office. (2019). Students with disabilities: Additional information from education could help states provide pre-employment transition services (GAO-19-684).

Hu, Q., & Chandrasekhar, T. (2020). Meeting the mental health needs of college students with ASD: A survey of university and college counseling center directors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(1), 341-345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04530-3

Keenan, W. R., Madaus, J. W., Lombardi, A. R., & Dukes, L. L. (2019). Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act on documentation for students with disabilities in transition to college: Implications for practitioners. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 42(1), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143418809691

King, G. A., Baldwin, P. J., Currie, M., & Evans, J. (2005). Planning successful transitions from school to adult roles for youth with disabilities. Children’s Health Care, 34(3), 193–216. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326888chc3403_3

National Center for Education Statistics [NCES]. (2021). Report on the condition of education 2021. U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2021/2021144.pdf

National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2023). Significant disproportionality in special education: Current trends and actions for impact. https://www.ncld.org/?resources=in-vitae-turpis-massa

PACER Center. (n.d.). IDEA and secondary transition. https://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/laws/idea.asp

Rogers, C. R. (1959). A theory of therapy, personality, and interpersonal relations as developed in the client-centered framework. In S. Koch (Ed.), Psychology: A study of a science (Vol. 3, pp. 184-256). McGraw-Hill.

Rowe, D. A., Mazzotti, V. L., Fowler, C. H., Test, D. W., Mitchell, V. J., Clark, K. A., Holzberg, D. G., Owens, T. L., Rusher, D., Seaman-Tullis, R., Gushanas, C. M., Castle, H., Chang, W., Voggt, A., Kwiatek, S. M., & Dean, C. (2021). Updating the secondary transition research base: Evidence-and research-based practices in functional skills. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44(1), 28-46.

U.S. Department of Education. (2020). A transition guide to postsecondary education and employment for students and youth with disabilities. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/postsecondary-transition-guide-august-2020.pdf 

Dilian Rolins, Ph.D., PPS, is an Assistant Professor in Counselor Education and Rehabilitation, specializes in school counseling competencies and multicultural counseling. Her research explores how counselors can support individuals and families with exceptionalities, focusing on intersectionality and student development. She can be contacted at rolins@mail.fresnostate.edu